Star People

Finberg makes sure to establish early on that Star People is a drama instead of a sci-fi flick. This is a good thing, like how River’s Edge was a drama rather than a horror film. The richness of the material Finberg mines is closer to a Sam Shepard play than a Spielberg encounter session. The routine expectations that come with a genre film are superseded by new plot directions dictated by character development.

The film also offers a scorching portrait of modern life in the Southwest, with all of the bizarre lifestyles that occur when you pair humanity against the almighty desert. For those who have never traveled through the Valley of the Sun, Finberg offers the entire existential tour. After all, the aliens are just part of the fiery landscape that is the futuristic maze of death, which these characters are trying to survive in. Finberg wisely keeps the stakes high, as several people in this movie are literally about to fall off the face of the Earth.

“The richness of the material is matched by the sophistication of the performances.”

The richness of the material is matched by the sophistication of the performances. Cunning is perfect for leading the picture, as she embodies the shared frustration that binds all audiences these days. She shows the pressures she buckles under and then throws them off like Hercules breaking chains. She should be a serious casting consideration moving forward.

Slye plays Taylor like Sean Penn played Spicoli—flawlessly. Every junkie trick in the book of Johnny Thunders is unfurled with flair by Slye, who masters the art of lying to everyone while partying until the world obeys. Fisher completely sells the Phoenix dweller character. Martinez, meanwhile, is the emotional backbone of the film, delivering heavy spiritual material with grounded sincerity. Star People is an unexpected surprise that will take you further than you think.

Star People screened at the 2025 Dances With Films and is in theaters now and video on demand (VOD) on August 12.